Bryan Yuen is only seven years old but already he has lived in six flats in Hong Kong. Such is the state of the city's real estate market that, until their present apartment, his parents had been at the mercy of homeowners who have raised rents unreasonably or had that buy-to-sell mentality that sees tenants turfed out as soon as profit can be realised. Having been renters rather than owners in the past meant father Andy Yuen, a banker, and his wife, Carol, who is also in finance, owned little furniture they felt was worth keeping. 'I needed to buy things that were simple and flexible,' Andy Yuen says. It also had to be inexpensive because there was always the chance they would move again and have to acquire new kit to fit their new environment. So when they bought their own home - a 2,300 sq ft flat in Baguio Villa, Pok Fu Lam - Yuen took the time to furnish it, particularly the living room, with items that were keepers. With interior designer Clifton Leung, the pair chose simple but stylish modern furniture in colours that would set the tone for their spare but stylish flat: a palette of black, white and grey affords a calming backdrop to vibrant accessories, including bright Vietnamese paintings of flame-red trees. Trawling through furniture shops in Hong Kong was hard work that trimmed a few kilos off Yuen, he says. More importantly, it made him realise how inflated prices can be. 'When we saw this dining table in a shop in Central it was more than HK$50,000, which we thought was on the expensive side,' he says. Finding a web-based Italian company that offered the same product for about HK$20,000 turned him on to online shopping for furniture, and he ended up buying much of it over the internet - bookcases, a bedroom set (including two bedside tables and an entertainment console), a few chairs and, of course, the dining table. Shopping in this manner, however, can have its drawbacks, among which is the possibility of having to ship an item back if it is damaged or doesn't fit. But the Yuens took the risk, especially with their bookcases/display units, which were taller than the height of the lift. Somehow, he says, they were made to fit. Renovating the flat took less guesswork with the help of Leung, who took into account the needs of Bryan and his two-year-old brother, Darren. At the designer's suggestion, the boys' rooms - which face each other - were opened to make the most of the corridor that bisects them. 'This gives them more space to play,' says Yuen, adding that his younger son delights in chasing his brother around their rooms. When it's time to sleep, the wide, sliding doors that take the place of walls can be shut for privacy and peace. The boys can also entertain themselves in a small room off the kitchen that was originally storage space. The playpen features large windows that allow the Yuens' helper to cook and keep an eye on the children at the same time. With the luxury of space, Yuen gave himself a room in which he can watch films and football at volume. 'I didn't want to do this in the living room,' he says, explaining that, for one, it would be impractical to install block-out blinds in that large, light-filled area, which leads onto a balcony that affords sea views. Hiding the projector and speakers would also be tricky, so these and a screen (which pulls down over the windows) were installed in a back room. It is also in here that his wife can work in relative quiet. With everyone's needs taken care of, and without the threat of eviction, does the family expect to stay in the flat for long? Not surprisingly, the answer is 'yes'. 1 The balcony is furnished with an imitation Eames chair (HK$1,000) and rocker (HK$1,800) from BRU (21/F, Oceanic Industrial Centre, 2 Lee Lok Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 3691 8284). The small table came from Ikea (various locations; www.ikea.com.hk ). 2 At the other end of the large living room is a dining area, off which are the kitchen and children's playpen. After checking out prices at high-end furniture shops in Hong Kong, homeowner Andy Yuen realised he could save money by buying pieces online through Tomassini in Italy (furniture.tomassiniarredamenti.it). The table cost Euro1,800 (HK$20,755), the Melody bookcases were Euro1,200 each and the Philippe Starck Ghost chairs in black and white were Euro180 each. The chairs with rounded backs at either end of the table cost HK$1,000 each from Tree (28/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2870 1582). The pendant lamp was HK$7,680 at Manks (3/F, The Factory, 1 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang, tel: 2522 2115). The imitation Eames shell chair is a discontinued item. 3 The living room is furnished with a sofa (HK$66,300) from Ligne Roset (16/F, Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley, tel: 2891 0913), a mini Panton-like chair (HK$240) from Tint Living (3 Blue Pool Road, tel: 3104 3105) and a coffee table (HK$3,000) and side table (HK$1,200), both from BRU. Adding colour to the room's neutral palette are two paintings by Vietnamese artist Nguyen Minh Son (nguyenminhson.vxartgallery.com). The carpet cost HK$3,800 at Good Idea Furniture & Design (3/F, Grand Central Plaza, Sha Tin, tel: 2688 0663). 4 The spacious master bedroom also benefited from furniture ordered online through Tomassini, including the Morfeo bedside tables (Euro400 each) and a matching entertainment console (not shown). The bed came from BRU and cost HK$27,000, and the bedside lamps were HK$300 each at Come In' Furniture (1/F, Cheung Hing Industrial Building, 23 Tai Yip Street, Ngau Tau Kok, tel: 3107 8802). The leaf art was bought in Chiang Mai, Thailand, many years ago. 5 The kitchen, designed by Clifton Leung Design Workshop (3/F, 128 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 3106 8384), was built for HK$188,000 by The Galley Designer Kitchen (169 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2838 9986). The children's play room abuts the kitchen. 6 A Thomas the Tank Engine bed bought for about HK$5,000 from Hung Lee Furniture (Provident Centre, 21 Wharf Road, North Point, tel: 2911 4313) inhabits a corner of Bryan Yuen's bedroom, which faces his younger brother's room. The desk and lamp (not shown) cost a total of HK$9,324 at Magazzini (Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central, tel: 2814 1663) and the chair was HK$1,688 at FreeMax (Tai Yau Plaza, 181 Johnston Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2698 3981). Opposite the cubbyhole shelving (HK$3,000) from Ikea is a blue bear clothes rack (HK$500) bought at Eugene Club (4/F, Lane Crawford House, 70 Queen's Road, Central, tel: 2628 3777). Clifton Leung Design built the wardrobe for HK$21,900. 7 Clifton Leung Design Workshop built a Japanese-style bath in the compact en suite bathroom for HK$7,500. The wall tiles (HK$18.50 a square foot), floor tiles (HK$62.50 a square foot) and feature-wall tiles (HK$63 a square foot) all came from Hop Hing Lung (235 Lockhart Road, tel: 2511 3013). The toilet came from Leisure Plus (Century Court, 239 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2186 8288) and cost HK$6,380. The Hansgrohe rainshower system was a gift from a friend. Tried + tested Making space Floor-to-ceiling mirrors in a corner make the living room seem twice its size. Clifton Leung Design Workshop (3/F, 128 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 3106 8384) created the corner by building a long, narrow storage space, fronted by a brick wall that accommodates a television screen. Styling David Roden
